×îÐÂÐÓ°ÉÔ­´´

Winn is attempting to play through a slight tear in his meniscus. The Cardinals and the shortstop have been assured by the medical team that he cannot do more damage to the knee, but that he'll have to manage the pain to play.

Thomas Saggese takes over at shortstop. The change in the lineup is reflected below in italics.Ìý— Derrick Goold

From earlier ...

Tweaks led to rare success for Andre Pallante

At the end of a trying season, Andre Pallante will take another few starts like the one he put up in his last outing.

Pallante starts Friday as the Cardinals open a three-game series in Milwaukee vs. the first-place Brewers. First pitch is 7:10 p.m.

TheÌýright-hander Pallante (6-13, 5.28 ERA), in going six innings and allowing just two runs Saturday vs. the Giants, notched his first quality start since July.

While he didn't pick up the victory in a game the Cardinals won late, it broke a string of six consecutive losses for Pallante.

The key difference in that start vs. his sub-par outings is an obvious one: launch angle. Pallante's path to success is in groundballs. Batters had a minus-2 launch angle Saturday, the first negative launch angle he has recorded in a game since July 28. Not coincidentally, that was his last quality start.Ìý

In seven of his first nine starts this season, opponents pounded the ball into the ground, putting up negative launch angles. He had a respectable 4.11 ERA after nine starts.

How did he do it on Saturday? The four-seamer did the heavy lifting. Batters had a minus-19 launch angle against that pitch, Pallante's third-best of the season.

He deployed the four-seamer a bit higher in the zone, and he also threw it from a slightly higher release point than he has most of the past few months, inducing a bit more vertical drop in the pitch.

Those two tweaks may have made it harder for opposing batters to get under and lift the pitch, which is the only way Pallante can succeed.

When he allows flyballs, batters crush them for a 1.092 on-base plus slugging percentage, by far the worst number among Cardinals starters and one of the worst in baseball.

The Brewers will sendÌýright-hander Quinn Priester (12-2, 3.25 ERA) to the mound. He has permitted two or fewer earned runs in each of his last four starts.

Priester has faced the Cardinals twice this season, one a quality start and one in which he gave up five runs in five innings.

In seven meetings vs. the Brewers this season, ×îÐÂÐÓ°ÉÔ­´´ is 3-4. The two teams, which haven't met in three months, play six more times, three times this weekend in Milwaukee and three more next weekend in ×îÐÂÐÓ°ÉÔ­´´.

The Cardinals are 72-75 after being swept in three games at Seattle earlier this week. Of their 15 remaining games, 12 are against teams ahead of them in The National League Central. The other three are against the Giants,Ìý who are a game ahead of ×îÐÂÐÓ°ÉÔ­´´ in the pursuit of a wild-card spot.

×îÐÂÐÓ°ÉÔ­´´ is four games out of the third and final wild-card spot and would have to leapfrog four teams.

The Brewers, swept in Texas earlier this week, are 89-58. They lead the Cubs by five games in the National League Central.

Brendan Donovan, John King activated

After nearly a month on the injured list, Brendan Donovan returns to action Friday. He'll lead off and play second base.

Donovan was placed on the injured list in mid-August withÌýa left groin sprain. He was also dealing with aÌýsprained toe.

Left-handed relief pitcher John King was also activated after being out since Aug. 26 with a mid-back strain.

Infielder Jose Fermin and left-handed pitcher Nick Raquet were optioned to Triple-A Memphis to clear space.

How to watch Cardinals at Brewers

When:Ìý7:10 p.m. Friday

Where:ÌýAmerican Family Field in Milwaukee

TV/radio: FanDuel Sports Network Midwest (); KMOX (1120 AM and 104.1 FM), other stations in the as well as .

Your options to watch: Input your ZIP code and see your choices for watching Cardinals games.

Lineups

CARDINALS

1. Brendan Donovan, 2B

2. Iván Herrera, DH

3. Alec Burleson, LF

4. Willson Contreras, 1B

5. Lars Nootbaar, CF

6. Thomas Saggese, SS

7. Nolan Gorman, 3B

8. Jordan Walker, RF

9. Jimmy Crooks, C

P: Andre Pallante, RHP

BREWERS

1. Sal Frelick, RF

2. Jackson Chourio, CF

3. Brice Turang, 2B

4. William Contreras, C

5. Christian Yelich, DH

6. Isaac Collins, LF

7. Jake Bauers, 1B

8. Caleb Durbin, 3B

9. Joey Ortiz, SS

P: Quinn Priester, RHP

Injury report

Nolan Arenado, 3B (right shoulder strain):ÌýArenado took batting practice Monday at Busch Stadium and will return to do the same Tuesday against some pitchers from Class A Peoria. If that goes well, Arenado will begin his rehab assignment Wednesday at Class AA Springfield. Arenado said his goal is to return to the Cardinals on Sept. 15 when they host Cincinnati.ÌýÌýUpdated Sept. 8

Zack Thompson, LHP (shoulder, lat strain):ÌýLefty starter remains on a throwing program in Jupiter, trying to overcome some setbacks as he increased the intensity of his throws through the course of the season. He's visited ×îÐÂÐÓ°ÉÔ­´´ for evaluation to monitor if the injury worsens. Thompson has been sidelined since the start of March and was transferred to the 60-day injured list in early April. There is no timetable for his return to the mound.ÌýUpdated Aug. 6